


Valentine's Date

by Nonesane



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Date, Post Reichenbach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-14
Updated: 2013-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-29 07:25:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/684371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nonesane/pseuds/Nonesane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Molly was just going to enjoy a quiet night at home, when she gets a text...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Valentine's Date

**Author's Note:**

  * For [resurrection_rite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/resurrection_rite/gifts).



> A much delayed gift for the wonderful blossommorphine; I hope you enjoy the fic!

**Meet me for dinner or I'll dismember your cat.  
JM**

Molly stared at the text for a good ten minutes, fighting to keep her breathing calm, before she replied.

**I don't have a cat.**

The answer was instantaneous:

**You do now.  
JM**

She might have felt dread as she pulled out her keys to unlock her front door, but really, she was too numb to tell. The key chain jingled merrily as her shaking hand set it in motion and it took her three breaths to turn the doorknob.

A soft 'mew' could be heard from somewhere in the vicinity of her feet. Molly closed her eyes hard enough to wrinkle her nose and held her breath until she felt something soft and fluffy rubbing against one of her legs.

She gave a started 'eep!' and cracked one eye open. There was a cat in her apartment. A live cat, with all its limbs intact. In fact, it looked like a purebred Ragdoll kitten.

Her favourite kind of cat.

As soon as she picked it up, it started purring and clawing at her shirt; in the "I like you and feel safe"-way, not the "I have rabies and hate you"-way. The tag on its collar caught in a mesh in her jumper. Untangling it took some effort, as the kitten did its best to headbutt her hands, demanding attention, but in the end she managed.

The tag read HAPPY VALENTINE'S in big pink letters.

With the kitten in one hand and her keys in the other, it was a little difficult to check her cell when her text message alert went off again.

**Usual place, at eight. Don't be late <3  
JM**

"Well," Molly said, doing her best to smile, "at least I've got a date. Sort of."

**** 

Jim was waiting for her, dressed in clothes far too fancy for their usual café. 

"Changed my mind," he said the second he spotted her. His smile sent a shiver down her spine - a not entirely pleasant shiver. "We're going somewhere else. You'll need to get changed."

"I didn't bring any other clothes," she said, eyes darting left to right. She couldn't see anyone else on the street, but that meant nothing.

"No problem," he said, grinning. "I did."

**** 

The new place was so fancy Molly barely dared breathe. The far too expensive looking dress didn't help. The fact that she'd had to changed into it in the bathroom of a café where the staff knew her by name, before getting into a limousine, **really** didn't help.

"More champagne?"

"Eh, yes please," Molly said. She did her best to not spill any of it on the table cloth.

"Did you like the kitten?" Jim said, looking genuinely curious. He'd been on excellent behaviour all through dinner. It felt almost like before... 

Molly was waiting for the other shoe to drop. "I named him Morgagni."

"After Giovanni Morgagni, no doubt."

"Guess I'm pretty predictable, huh?" she said, taking another sip of the champagne.

Something darker entered Jim's eyes at this. "I wouldn't say that." His smile had an edge to it now. "Why don't you tell me where Sherlock is?"

Of course. "I think I'd like to leave now." Molly got out of her seat and hesitated before grabbing the handbag that had come with the outfit.

Jim's hand closed around her wrist. "Oh please don't go. We were having such a nice time."

Molly wanted to comment. She just knew she'd come up with the perfect come-back the moment she got back home.

"At least stay for dessert." 

Reluctantly she let herself be ushered back into her seat. The waiter appeared by their table the very next second and she couldn't help but notice that he looked somewhat paler this time around.

"What did you do?" Molly asked when the chocolate cake had been served.

"Not much," Jim said. "Just rigged the place to catch a bit on fire, if you stormed out. Wanted to make sure the staff would be on their best behaviour, you know?"

For the first time that evening, Molly looked around at the rest of the room. There were a lot of other couples there, looking like they didn't have a care in the world, but the staff were another story. They were keeping along the walls, eyes flickering over to her and Jim's table.

"Oh." That really shouldn't have been flattering. It should be terrifying. She'd spent too much time with Sherlock. "Well, I'm not going on dates to places that risk going up in smoke."

"I'll remember that for our next date."

"And who says there's going to be a next date?" She had no idea where the confidence was coming from. She suspected it had something to do with being pushed aside for Sherlock. Again. "You haven't exactly given me a reason for going on a second one."

"Mutilated kitten," Jim sing-sang.

"Sherlock is dead," Molly said, ignoring the mental image his words had created. "What more is there to say about him?"

"You're clever, you'll figure something out."

"He's dead and he was my friend." Maybe she should try crying? Though that could backfire. It wasn't as if she was a very good actress. "Do you think that's something I want to talk about?"

There was that darker edge again, hiding behind a puppy dog look. "Hmm, maybe not. I apologize. Do you want my dessert too, as an apology?"

Molly blinked. "No, uhm, thank you, I'm good."

Jim's grin was more disturbing than usual. "You definitely are that."

**** 

"Don't be a stranger!" was the last thing he said to her. He'd given her a ride home.

"Eh," was all she managed to say before he had her in front of her apartment door. She blushed a little as he kissed her hand.

The flat looked exactly like she'd left it, except for the litter box in the bathroom. Morgagni was asleep on the sofa in her combined kitchen/living room. Someone had stuck a note in his collar. 

_Searched your flat on JM's orders. You're clean. Impressive.  
SM_

She couldn't deny her heart was beating faster. It wasn't from fear. Well, mostly not from fear.

Her cellphone beeped.

**Second date on Thursday! Glee marathon :)  
JM**


End file.
